Streamlined Construction Permits Bring Joy to Ho Chi Minh City Residents
On August 1st, Mr. Ngo The Minh from Binh Phu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, received a construction commencement notice at the ceremony announcing the areas exempt from building permits.
Community Cheer
At the event, the People’s Committee of Binh Phu Ward revealed three projects in the ward that are exempt from construction permits: An Duong Vuong Ward Market residential area (Ward 12), 2.9 ha resettlement area (Ward 23), and Rach Ruot Ngua residential area (Ward 22). These projects have detailed planning at a scale of 1/500.
Mr. Vo Van Trung, Head of Ward 22, expressed his delight as one of the exempt areas. “The clear designation of permit-free zones is excellent news for our residents, greatly facilitating home improvement and construction while ensuring compliance with approved plans,” he shared.
Ho Chi Minh City residents applaud the government’s initiative to reduce administrative procedures, especially in construction. Mr. Minh shared his joy upon receiving the immediate commencement notice. He recalled the previous challenges and expressed surprise at the City Department of Construction’s announcement of 112 eligible projects.
“I’ve only heard about permit exemptions through the news, but when the Department revealed the eligible projects, I realized how quickly our city and ward acted. We support this move, and I am thrilled to benefit from it. Homebuilders will now have more autonomy. After receiving the commencement notice, I will immediately proceed with my plans,” an excited Mr. Minh added.

Mr. Ngo The Minh receives the construction permit exemption notice at the ceremony. Photo: Thanh Nga
Simplified Process
In Tam Thang Ward, Chairman Le Xuan Tu announced the first three exempt zones: Doi Ngoc Tuoc 2 Villa Area, 53/30 Le Hong Phong residential area, and Ben Dinh Service residential area. The ward plans to unveil 13 more eligible areas soon. Mr. Tu emphasized that in areas with detailed 1/500 scale planning, residents need only submit a construction commencement notice with design drawings for the People’s Committee to monitor and supervise, ensuring compliance with the approved plans.
Similarly, Binh Phu Ward’s Chairman, Mr. Nguyen Huy Thang, affirmed that this initiative simplifies procedures for residents. The ward has guided four applications under this new policy and will recommend the approval of the remaining 12 areas to the Department of Construction.
“We aim for 70% of construction projects in the ward to be exempt from this procedure within the next 2-3 years,” Mr. Thang shared. Specifically, Binh Phu residents need only submit a commencement notice with necessary documents (design drawings, construction contracts, etc.) to the Ward’s Economic, Infrastructure, and Urban Division at least three working days before construction, without awaiting a response.
Other districts in the city are also swiftly implementing this policy. Mr. Le Ngoc Dung, Chairman of Long Truong Ward, shared that their ward has 11 exempt projects, and they are actively raising awareness among residents about their rights and benefits when constructing homes.
112 Projects Exempted from Construction Permits
Following the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee’s directive, the City Department of Construction has announced 112 eligible projects. These include 41 in the former Thu Duc City, 33 in Nha Be, 17 in Binh Chanh, 10 in District 7, four in Hoc Mon, three in District 12, three in District 6, and one in Can Gio.
People’s Committees of wards and communes publicly display the list of eligible projects within their administrative boundaries, along with the approved detailed planning at a 1/500 scale (or the general layout at a 1/500 scale and architectural proposals) as stipulated.
Developers must submit a construction commencement notice to the People’s Committee of the commune/ward at least three working days before the intended start date to facilitate management.
The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has instructed the Department of Construction to collaborate with relevant agencies to identify and announce additional eligible projects. They are also reviewing other areas in the city (Binh Duong, Vung Tau, and Con Dao Special Zone) for potential inclusion in future announcements.
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